Florida Civic Literacy Practice Exam

Which Supreme Court case established that arrested individuals must be informed of their rights?

1. Gideon v. Wainwright

2. Miranda v. Arizona

3. Roe v. Wade

4. Brown v. Board of Education

The correct answer is: Miranda v. Arizona

The case that established the requirement for arrested individuals to be informed of their rights is Miranda v. Arizona. This landmark decision arose from the circumstances surrounding Ernesto Miranda, who was arrested and interrogated by police without being informed of his rights to counsel and against self-incrimination. The Supreme Court ruled that the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination necessitated that individuals in custody must be clearly informed of their rights prior to any interrogation. This resulted in the creation of what are now known as "Miranda Rights," which must be recited to suspects to ensure that they are aware of their rights, promoting fair legal processes and protecting individuals within the criminal justice system. The other cases mentioned, while significant in their own contexts, do not pertain to the requirement of informing arrested individuals of their rights. Gideon v. Wainwright focused on the right to counsel for defendants who cannot afford an attorney, Roe v. Wade dealt with issues of abortion rights and reproductive privacy, and Brown v. Board of Education addressed racial segregation in public schools. Each of these cases had a substantial impact on American law but did not establish the specific requirement related to informing individuals of their rights upon arrest.